BUDAPEST – When Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán visits President Donald Trump in the White House on Friday, his priority will be convincing the U.S. administration to turn a blind eye to Hungary's dogged commitment to buying Russian oil, a potential test of how deep the affinity goes between the two friendly leaders.

Orbán, once an outspoken opponent of Russia's dominance of Hungary during the Cold War, has in the last decade made a dramatic shift toward Moscow that has baffled his opponents and many earlier allies.

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Widely considered Russian President Vladimir Putin’s most reliable advocate in the European Union , Orbán has maintained warm relations with the Kremlin despite its war against Ukraine. He has also curried favor with Trump and his MAGA movement,

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